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MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Nov 17, 2014

A Roof Rack For A Toad ?

The thing has no gutters, just four doors. A '95 Dodge Spirit. I also need a "cut resistant" cargo net to defeat the legions of "mice" down here. Sadly my budget is not Space Shuttle grade. But looks like all the light stuff needs to go atop the car. The rig when moved is stuffed with gizmos and toys, and tools and all the junk needed to keep an old tinkerer from going completely nuts. So the toad needs to bloat.

12 Replies

  • greenrvgreen's avatar
    greenrvgreen
    Explorer
    Nov 18, 2014
    Also consider a roof cargo bag. Most are flimsy, but Seattle Sports makes the "Sherpak" line which are very heavy and durable, and range in size from large to gigantic. Try ebay for the 10 cu ft size at around $50 delivered, or the 20 cu ft size for around $100 or so--both used prices, new are about double.

    A cargo bag is going to be more aerodynamic than an open rack, and the fabric will flex to accomodate odd sized items that might be too big for a hard shell carrier, if you're looking at those. Plus your items are out of view, which makes passers-by less likely to steal them from your parked car.

    For hard racks, also look at Yakima and Tule. These are very expensive new but Yakima customer support can tell you what fittings will work with your car, and you can take that info to eBay.

    NOTE: Even if your car can accept no rack whatsoever, you can still use a roof bag. Many come with straps that simply run inside your car and across the ceiling, if necessary (don't forget to opent the doors before your strap the bag on).

    Good luck!
  • JaxDad's avatar
    JaxDad
    Explorer III
    Nov 18, 2014
    They make 'soft' roof racks, kind of a very short tent you put on the roof. They have a neoprene-like base for stickum and heavy straps at all four corners that go in through the doors or windows.

    But before you go down that route have a closer look at the car again. Most gutter-less cars have 4 little spring-loaded pieces that collapse down into the roof revealing a cavity where the roof racks mount.
  • landyacht318's avatar
    landyacht318
    Explorer
    Nov 17, 2014
    I've seen a few of improvised homemade racks where the feet matched the shape of the cars roof to best distribute weight across as much sheet metal as possible, front to back.

    They padded the wood feet and used ratcheting straps through front and back doors to pull it tight. No doubt it compromised the door seals to some degree when ratcheted tight, but it certainly was not going anywhere.

    They used 1x6 pine stock for the feet and just had regular 2x4 to go side to side. I saw it once again with an extension screwed front and back, and they tried to give a slight nod to aerodynamics with tapered leading and trailing edges.

    I guess it is not very stealth proof to anyone with a saw or a knife to cut the straps and carry the whole thing off.
  • MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
    MEXICOWANDERER
    Explorer
    Nov 17, 2014
    • Rola Rack is an Australian company, prices are great, shipping costs are a little spicy for my budget ($565.00)
    • Car is tinny like any K car but I would prefer to leave the headliner untouched
    • The car has 88,000 original miles and I just spent a small fortune on new CV joints, brakes, water pump, timing belt, yadda, windshield, yadda, A/C compressor, springs and struts
    • New USA cars cost a fortune, then a king's ransom to import
    • Mexican cars are all manual shift because of a dearth of automatic transmission mechanics and parts
    • Bottom line is for better or worse the car keeps as much dignity as a K car can muster
    • New paint sometime in January
    • Anything worth anything with four wheels is at risk down here
    • So a roof rack with security cargo net is better than abandoning all of my hard earned LED stuff, electronics, and all the other expensive junk. The box of medical gear by itself, BiPap, masks, hoses, filters, accessories, plus tons of surplus medicine pills takes a 16"X 20"X 8" box in itself
    • The extreme very best (lowest) amount of transportation money I am going to need is in excess of six hundred US Dollars between here and home. Not counting food, or hotel, etc. Having the rig would allow me to stuff compartments and spend $2,500 to do the same route
    • So, hello cargo rack!
  • Snowman9000's avatar
    Snowman9000
    Explorer
    Nov 17, 2014
    MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
    Not if I can get my mitts on a good Nut-Sert tool and stainless steel Nut Serts.


    Does it have to be that good? 20 year old car...
    Stainless bolts through roof from inside. Some butyl putty under the mounts, a little caulk...

    Just my way of looking at it, I guess.

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